Kiyochika: Shin Yoshiwara with Photographer from Kiyochika Punch

Artist: Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915)
Title: Shin Yoshiwara
Series: Kiyochika Punch (Kiyochika ponchi)
Date: Ca. 1881

A brothel worker sticks out her tongue, her shadow creating a rather monstrous image on the wall behind her. Her client looks out in puzzlement and dismay, seeming to react to the shadow; we can guess that she is not excited about her liaison. The Shin Yoshiwara was of course the licensed pleasure district; perhaps we even sense some sympathy for the woman in this depiction. Wrapped in the banner above, partially concealed, is a photographer at right taking a photo of a woman at left who has opened her kimono to reveal her bare front; some type of writing in white on her abdomen. There seem to be gold coins next to her, and there is a cat seated beside her. Henry Smith only counted eleven works in this series, which was of course modeled on the English satirical magazine “Punch”. Works from this series had hidden political meanings, so we must assume the same here, although the intended satire by Kiyochika seems lost to time. Kiyochika was such an excellent comic artist that we can be amused by the design without knowing what societal/political issue is being parodied. Rather scarce.

Condition: Excellent impression and color; very good condition. Lightly backed.

Literature: For an overview of this series, see  “Kiyochika: Artist of Meiji Japan” by Henry D. Smith II, pages 58-59.

Dimensions: ôban (35.8 x 23.7 cm)  Publisher: Kobayashi Tetsujirô
Signature: Kobayashi Kiyochika (in margin)

SKU: KYC487